US: Botany Lane expands young plant production

Botany Lane Greenhouse (BLG), a long-time top plant producer of finished tropical plants, succulents, and specialty annuals for IGCs in the Western United States, has expanded to provide outstanding young plants for growers and grower-retailers.

“We are excited, in particular, to offer a large selection (over 300 varieties) of succulent liners, including over 50 varieties of Echeveria. The succulent program is now in its 10th year of development and only growing,” says Managing Partner and General Manager, Scott Fulton. “New gardeners and millennials are fascinated with the colors, shapes, and ease of care offered by succulents. We want our retailers to be able to capitalize on this multi-generational demand with a superior product. Our 'mile high' light and cool night temperatures are perfect for producing succulents with high color and texture.” In addition to liners, Botany Lane has also expanded its retail-ready succulent planters to match the indoor/outdoor demand for modern and traditional garden consumers.

They continue to add to their list of unique and high-quality finished annuals, perennials, and tropicals, providing these items in high-end non-traditional containers such as moss baskets, larger sizes, fiber pots, and patio-ready containers.

Botany Lane Greenhouses was founded in 2003 as a finished grower of annuals, perennials, and succulents for Independent Garden Centers (IGC), landscapers, resorts, and municipalities for the immediate Colorado front range and mountain areas. In 2008 the company merged with High Plains Greenhouse (HPG), a young plant producer in Denver, and in 2013 opened a third location in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas to expand production of tropicals.

In 2016, the operating company of Horta USA (doing business as Botany Lane Greenhouses) formed a new ownership team consisting of Byron Chrisman (Owner), Mitch McDonald (Owner, CEO, and Production Manager), and Scott Fulton (Minority Owner, General Manager). Along with an exceptionally experienced management team, Botany Lane Greenhouse is positioned well for an increased presence in the marketplace. New branding, a new website offering live availability ordering, and new customer-focused processes have allowed Botany Lane to widen their distribution area and serve more customers looking for young plant liner tropicals, succulents, and specialty annuals, as well as those in need of a comprehensive finished plant program.

Plants, both finished and young, are produced in 827,640 square feet of environmentally controlled production, one acre of shade houses, and 10 acres of field production at three locations across two states. “Operating locations in varying climates has created a phenomenal opportunity for Botany Lane to fill holes in the market for young and finished succulents and tropicals, ensuring that all retailers and growers are stocked with high-demand (and thus, high turnover) products,” says Mr. Fulton. “We ship young plants to all 50 states in the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. We can help anyone experiencing shortages or in need of a consistent supply in these crops.”